Chapter 36: The Whole City as Foes
Night Watcher Base.
Mo Tu nodded approvingly to himself, muttering softly.
“Not bad, should be fine now.”
If a Night Watcher with slightly higher mental power were to take a peek at the base area from the outside, they would see a transparent barrier.
This was the second effect of Mo Tu’s star [Hetu Luoshu]: the Pulse Map.
Considered a rare spatial ability, it could create a tiny, independent world, called a ‘cave heaven’. This cave heaven isolates itself from the outside world, and its changes depend on the whim of those within.
Mo Tu could have turned this into an earthly paradise, but that would be too much work, so he just refined its basic functions.
The main point of the Pulse Map was to isolate the outside world.
This isolation can shield against the effects of Star Eclipses, preventing the invasion of Star Eclipse Power into headquarters, thus dismantling the Night Watcher’s strength entirely.
Of course, the base already had a certain degree of defense, but this time, with the Star Eclipses being a supernova, it might not be able to withstand the pressure. So, it all depended on Mo Tu.
Once this fortress was complete, he could finally do as he pleased.
At that moment, his communicator rang.
It was Yao Can.
“Mo Tu, command of this operation is given to you, do your job.”
“Oh wow… Alright.” Mo Tu couldn’t exactly refuse Yao Can’s decision.
After all, his star was better suited for front-line combat. Commanding battles was up Mo Tu’s alley.
With the command authorization, the screen before Mo Tu instantly changed.
The positions of all the Night Watchers were shown as particles on a three-dimensional map.
Flashing brightly, they resembled stars in the sky.
Mo Tu could give orders to each Night Watcher, making them follow commands.
That boss-like feeling felt pretty good.
But, of course, with great power comes great responsibility.
If he dared to slack off, Yao Can would probably tear him apart and drag him back from the front lines.
“Ugh… Guess I better focus then.”
As soon as he said that, the divination began.
Not on the Star Eclipses themselves, but on the current situation in Shanghe City.
Skirting around the individual whose divination success rate was extremely low, Mo Tu successfully obtained the information he needed.
“So it turns out the Star Eclipses have turned Shanghe City into its domain. Considering Lianhua’s penchant for performing puppet shows, once she became a Star Eclipse, she likely acts with the same obsession for puppetry. So, is Shanghe City her stage now?”
Mo Tu chuckled softly, having analyzed the current situation.
“Onstage, only the Puppet Master and puppets are allowed; anything else is treated as a disturbance. That’s why ordinary people, who have no resistance to Star Eclipses, become marionettes. Those few who can resist are forced into becoming disruptors. And that’s why they’re targeted by the controlled ones.”
Mo Tu tapped the table, his brain spinning rapidly as he reassembled the information in his mind, looking for new insights.
Then he noticed a slight flicker in one of the night watchers’ particles on the 3D map.
Something was wrong.
“Whoa, really?”
Mo Tu quickly opened the details of this particle, starting another divination.
“Tch, this is getting complicated.”
He marked this particle red, removed it from the Night Watchers group, and initiated full-group voice communication.
“Hey, hey, can you hear me? This is the Night Watcher Base Command Center. I’m the interim commander. I have some bad news: every single citizen in the city is now our enemy; they’ve been assimilated by the Star Eclipses, turning into puppets. Be careful when interacting with them, as it will quicken the assimilation process. Currently, we’ve lost one Night Watcher. Over.”
Mo Tu cut the connection and continued divining for more information.
Meanwhile, Yao Can had heard the news while returning from the city outskirts. He furrowed his brow slightly.
“Wh- the entire Shanghe City… and no contact with anyone?”
After digesting that info, Yao Can led the second division of Night Watchers back to the base.
At their previous location,
a group of citizens stood rooted in place; even numerous fine threads couldn’t move their rusted joints.
Mechanical constructs, with precise structures, had rust layers covering them, rendering them inoperable.
When Yao Can had moved away, everything returned to normal.
Inside the base,
Mo Tu diligently carried out his duties, marking several particles red and giving reminders, keeping the team on their toes.
“Why does my workload always seem heavier?”
He couldn’t help but question life itself.
After a complaint, Mo Tu used his star again.
But this time, it wasn’t for divination or the Pulse Map; he activated [Hetu Luoshu]’s third effect: Star Chart.
Its primary function was to penetrate illusions and reveal the right path.
With Shanghe City acting as the Puppet Master’s stage, there must be a backstage where the core of the Star Eclipse is located.
All he had to do now was find it.
Mo Tu used up a considerable amount of his mental energy, but all he could see was a vague direction.
“Ah, interference is too strong.”
Mo Tu rested his head on the back of the chair, struggling to stabilize his breathing.
Supernova Star Eclipses weren’t something that could be dealt with overnight.
Night Watchers weren’t drones. While resisting the influence of Star Eclipsions, they were still engaged in intense activities, which wasn’t easy for anyone to handle.
As time passed, night approached.
Mo Tu pressed the return order without hesitation, calling back all the Night Watchers collecting information.
Intense outdoor activities only increased the risk of assimilation. Already, some Night Watchers were nearing their limits.
The base, equipped with Mo Tu’s isolation feature, was the best spot for rest and recovery.
Leaving his post with a calm expression, Mo Tu prepared to get some food.
Scarcely had he stepped out when he encountered Yao Can returning from the outside.
“Hey, hard work paid off.” Mo Tu greeted him with a smile.
Yao Can took a deep breath and asked, “How is it?”
Mo Tu replied softly, “As you can see, not good. But no need to worry about the civilians’ safety. The Puppet Master may be putting on a play called ‘Euphoric Utopia.’ Daily life seems normal, with no imminent danger—quite peaceful actually. We don’t need to stress too much.”
Of course, this didn’t apply to the Night Watchers.
“That’s a relief,” Yao Can breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Maintaining order was one of the Night Watchers’ responsibilities. Citizens’ state was crucial for order, their safety and stability needed close attention.
“But there’s bad news: the assimilated Night Watchers might not be salvageable for now, becoming puppets controlled by the Puppet Master. They’ll be troublesome enemies. Right now, thirty-three of them fall under this category,” Mo Tu said with a smile.
“d*mn…”
Yao Can’s bl**d pressure shot up immediately.
